Help with 5X5 - lack of progress

[Rich_S]

Ok, so about a month and a half ago I decided to give the 5X5 a try before I switch to WSB style training. Anyway, here's my (lack of) progress so far:

Bench Press

Workout 1: 335-5,5,5,5,4
Workout 2: 335-5,5,5,5,5
Workout 3: 355-5,4,4,2,2
Workout 4: 355-5,4,4,2,2
Workout 5: 355-5,5,4,2,2
Workout 6: 355-5,5,4,3,2

For accessory work, I do: Dips 2X8-10 and Skullcrushers 2X8-10.

I do this once every 6-7 days and I rest 4 minutes between the sets of benches and 3 minutes between the accessory sets.

This just seems like really slow progress. Am I doing something wrong? Was 20 lbs to big of a jump to take?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

I would stick with 10 or 5

 

[Lee]

decrease the bench weight. its supposed to be 5 pounds increase a week, not 20

 

[Rich_S]

I thought it was supposed to be a 5% bump every time??? It can't just be a fixed number because that doesn't take into account the difference between a 200 lb bencher and a 500 lb bencher.

 

[Zander1983]

Take some time off. When you come back, start at 320 for example, and make steady 5lb progressions.

 

[Zander1983]

Also, bench is one of many main lifts. How are your other lifts progressing?

 

[Mike_Rojas]

I thought it was supposed to be a 5% bump every time??? It can't just be a fixed number because that doesn't take into account the difference between a 200 lb bencher and a 500 lb bencher.

You should read Needsize's sticky carefully.. you don't want to bump up 5% - you will plateau too fast. Slow and steady progress is the key.

 

[SofaGeorge]

Maybe I'm not ambitious enough... but I consider it great if I go up 1 rep every week on what I can do on a set.

It's great to make bigger gains... but 1 rep is a gain... and a gain is a gain.

 

[BlkWS6]

Originally posted by Rich_S
Ok, so about a month and a half ago I decided to give the 5X5 a try before I switch to WSB style training. Anyway, here's my (lack of) progress so far:

Bench Press

Workout 1: 335-5,5,5,5,4
Workout 2: 335-5,5,5,5,5
Workout 3: 355-5,4,4,2,2
Workout 4: 355-5,4,4,2,2
Workout 5: 355-5,5,4,2,2
Workout 6: 355-5,5,4,3,2

For accessory work, I do: Dips 2X8-10 and Skullcrushers 2X8-10.

I do this once every 6-7 days and I rest 4 minutes between the sets of benches and 3 minutes between the accessory sets.

This just seems like really slow progress. Am I doing something wrong? Was 20 lbs to big of a jump to take?

Any help would be appreciated.

Aside from the big jumps, I think you started too heavy Rich. If you look at your first workout you didn't actually complete all 5x5. Now granted you hit that weight again the next week and got it, but the first couple of weeks should be real easy for you. I think that if you would have started at like 320/325lbs you would have made some better progression (assuming that you are only adding 5lbs TOTAL to the bar each week). Maybe look into a 5x3 now to bust through the 355 plateau for a while, then drop back to a 5x5 eventually and you should be good to go (unless of course you are just going to jump into WSB) Good luck man. And just to reiterate what others have said, making small jumps in weight (those little 2.5lb on each side) is CRUCIAL.

 

[megad]

I actually did the same thing... accidently. A while back I was making great progress. I went from 155 week one to 160 week two to 165 week 3.
Then, since I wasn't keeping a training journal, I forgot what weight I was lifting. A 45 pound plate and a 25 pounder looked fine to me on each side, so I started to do that. I was dissapointed when I could only do 5, 5, 4, 3, 2. It was only afterwards when I realized that I used much more than a 5 pound increse.
I figured that maybe I would get the full 5x5 on the 185 pounds next week since I was somewhat close the week before. Big mistake. The next week I was the same and got really discouraged about not making any gains. After about 4 weeks of trying to bust through the 185, I went down to 175 and finally progressd through it
Today, I'm at like 210 5x5 on bench